The Ernakulam Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union (ERCMPU), part of the apex milk cooperative Milma, has ventured into export of clarified butter (ghee). The first batch, comprising two tonnes of clarified butter, was exported to Abu Dhabi early this week from the Milma zonal union office at Edappally.
Chairman of the Ernakulam union John Theruvath said this was the first time the central union was entering the export field and expected to make good the opportunity. The chairman said export depended on the shelf life of products and at present clarified butter had a shelf life of 90 days. The milk cooperative is also exploring the possibilities of export of Peda, a milk-based sweet.
The Ernakulam regional cooperative, comprising the districts of Ernakulam, Kottayam, Idukki and Thrissur, has a total daily procurement of 4.20 lakh litres of milk per day. The sales volume stands around four lakh litres per day. The remaining 20,000 litres of daily procurement goes into value-added products like peda and paneer, said the chairman.
Among the three regional milk unions, the Malabar Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union had entered the export business first. The northern union had begun export of clarified butter about ten years ago, said K.S. Mani, chairman. He said products like ghee, peda and palada are exported to all the countries in West Asia. The Wayanad and Kannur dairies of the regional cooperative have been certified by the Export Inspection Agency, Mr. Mani added.
In the meanwhile, ERCMPU administration has decided to pay ₹2 each per litre to dairy farmers under its fold in the four districts. The extra payment is scheduled to come into effect from February 1 and will continue up to February 28, the chairman added. He said, of the ₹2 being paid extra, ₹1 will go to farmers, fifty paise will go into expenses incurred by the union administration for salaries and other expenses and the remaining fifty paise will go towards price stabilisation fund.
The regional union has also decided to pay ₹1.50 per litre of milk to the dairy farmers between March 1 and 31. Mr. Theruvath said the regional cooperative had been able to help dairy farmers under its fold to sustain their activities even during the COVID-19 pandemic through various measures, including timely payment for the milk procured from the farmers.
